July 20, 2009
On July 3, 2009 the Valdosta Daily Times published a letter to the editor “A sad statement about the value of human life.” The writer highlighted the ill conditions in the Valdosta-Lowndes County Jail and the suffering of his friend---a non-violent criminal inmate who are denied the following.
(1) No adequate reading materials
(2) No jail library.
(3) No Jail education program.
(4) No access to letters, newspapers or the Internet.
(5) No photo’s allowed.
(6) No air conditioning and temperatures are over 100 degrees in the summer. With inmates passing out from dehydration is a common occurrence.
(7) No humane living space. Inmates are extremely overcrowded.
(8) Inmates are over charged for over the counter medicine (a roll of Tums) was said to cost $6.00. The letter indicated that it seems that someone is getting kickbacks.
This is nothing new since the Honorable Judge Hugh Lawson of the United States Courts of the Middle District of Georgia Valdosta Division identified 105 violations in June 1997 in the Valdosta-Lowndes County Jail, and that his ordered be corrected within two years in Civil Action 1989-54-VAL, wherein Judge Lawson ruled that inmates Constitutional Rights had been consistently violated and that it had to stop.
However after repeated requests to city, county, and other elected officials in Valdosta-Lowndes County civil rights organizations and others have been unsuccessful in finding out who if anyone or agency ever corrected or complied with Judge Lawson Court Order. In fact, I don’t believe even the good judge himself followed up to insure local governments ever complied with the order.
This lawsuit was filed in March 1989 in U. S. District Courts of the Middle District of Georgia Valdosta Division. But our local television, newspapers, and radio stations along with politicians apparently kept this court order the best kept secret in Valdosta-Lowndes County Georgia.
So is this July 3, 2009 Letter to the Editor too little too late? Moreover the letter FAILED to mention the bad medical facility, no real complaint system except on paper and the names of some nineteen to twenty-seven jail deaths that have occurred in the jail since 1994. So why have both bodies of local government ignored these ill living conditions for several decades instead of trying to stop these inhumane conditions and deaths.
It is imperative that citizen watch the video “A Chorus of Fear” posted on the Internet and then read Judge Lawson Court Order and Consent Decree #1989-54-VAL-----now expired.
So where have our local television, and radio stations been? And why have our elected officials, local, state, or federal law enforcement agencies, District Attorney (DA), Valdosta Mayor, City Council, Lowndes County Board of Commissioners and Chairman along with other Georgia State Agencies failed to request some type of investigation to put a stop to this trend?
Apparently our local media will gladly investigate and report on a cat or dog trapped in a tree in Valdosta-Lowndes County Georgia but ignore human beings awaiting to prove their guilt or innocence. Moreover does a citizen know how much money has already been paid out in lawsuits to inmates and their families? It may be a good idea for local leaders to go undercover and sit in jail for twenty-four hours and critique how citizens are treated in the facility.
The lack of adequate news coverage has left citizens deaf, dumb, and blind to the times and unable to make intelligent decision based on facts. Therefore we the people must keep our elected officials in check by using the power of the Ballot Box to remind them that they serve us, and that we care about ALL citizens and not just a SELECT few.
Today (July 17, 2009 at 3:45 pm) a former inmate from the Valdosta-Lowndes County Jail gave me a written and taped testimonial about the ill conditions in the jail. And that a local television station WCTV Channel 6, was “NOT INTERESTED” in taking his story about the inhumane living conditions he witnessed while in the jail.
So what good is our local television, newspapers and radio stations if they seemingly intentionally keep citizens deaf, dumb, and blind to news worthy events? How Sad in 2009? God bless America and everybody else.
GEORGE BOSTON RHYNES
Retired United States Armed Forces Veteran
President of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Branch (NAACP)
Concerned citizen and brother of humanity
COMMENTS TRANSFERRED: TRUTHHURTS.COM July 23, 2009
Thank you gbrhynes007-2.1, I appreciate your comment. Honestly I wanted to respond to your nice comment but unfortunately didn’t see it except now and yesterday I was extremely busy, so I forgot to log out. People thought I was on line, when in reality I was not on line but forgot to log out. Believe me Islam is not as what the media describes it, it’s a MIRACLE I’m really happy with Islam, it’s a kind of a new way of life given to me, with guidance and light.
Democracy
Submitted by: Truth hurts.com Tues 2009, July 21, 2009, Democracy is unreal in many countries. If only they put themselves in the place of those prisoners in Valdosta, what would they do? My new religion Islam which I voluntarily embraced teaches tolerance and that there is punishment inflicted upon the evil sooner or later, in Doomsday.
The Koran says that "God sometimes tests your faith in the hour of trouble"....
Some friends abandoned my friendship and did not call me again when I converted from Christianity to Islam, but that made me more attracted to Islam and my fortitude increased as a result.
On July 3, 2009 the Valdosta Daily Times published a letter to the editor “A sad statement about the value of human life.” The writer highlighted the ill conditions in the Valdosta-Lowndes County Jail and the suffering of his friend---a non-violent criminal inmate who are denied the following.
(1) No adequate reading materials
(2) No jail library.
(3) No Jail education program.
(4) No access to letters, newspapers or the Internet.
(5) No photo’s allowed.
(6) No air conditioning and temperatures are over 100 degrees in the summer. With inmates passing out from dehydration is a common occurrence.
(7) No humane living space. Inmates are extremely overcrowded.
(8) Inmates are over charged for over the counter medicine (a roll of Tums) was said to cost $6.00. The letter indicated that it seems that someone is getting kickbacks.
This is nothing new since the Honorable Judge Hugh Lawson of the United States Courts of the Middle District of Georgia Valdosta Division identified 105 violations in June 1997 in the Valdosta-Lowndes County Jail, and that his ordered be corrected within two years in Civil Action 1989-54-VAL, wherein Judge Lawson ruled that inmates Constitutional Rights had been consistently violated and that it had to stop.
However after repeated requests to city, county, and other elected officials in Valdosta-Lowndes County civil rights organizations and others have been unsuccessful in finding out who if anyone or agency ever corrected or complied with Judge Lawson Court Order. In fact, I don’t believe even the good judge himself followed up to insure local governments ever complied with the order.
This lawsuit was filed in March 1989 in U. S. District Courts of the Middle District of Georgia Valdosta Division. But our local television, newspapers, and radio stations along with politicians apparently kept this court order the best kept secret in Valdosta-Lowndes County Georgia.
So is this July 3, 2009 Letter to the Editor too little too late? Moreover the letter FAILED to mention the bad medical facility, no real complaint system except on paper and the names of some nineteen to twenty-seven jail deaths that have occurred in the jail since 1994. So why have both bodies of local government ignored these ill living conditions for several decades instead of trying to stop these inhumane conditions and deaths.
It is imperative that citizen watch the video “A Chorus of Fear” posted on the Internet and then read Judge Lawson Court Order and Consent Decree #1989-54-VAL-----now expired.
So where have our local television, and radio stations been? And why have our elected officials, local, state, or federal law enforcement agencies, District Attorney (DA), Valdosta Mayor, City Council, Lowndes County Board of Commissioners and Chairman along with other Georgia State Agencies failed to request some type of investigation to put a stop to this trend?
Apparently our local media will gladly investigate and report on a cat or dog trapped in a tree in Valdosta-Lowndes County Georgia but ignore human beings awaiting to prove their guilt or innocence. Moreover does a citizen know how much money has already been paid out in lawsuits to inmates and their families? It may be a good idea for local leaders to go undercover and sit in jail for twenty-four hours and critique how citizens are treated in the facility.
The lack of adequate news coverage has left citizens deaf, dumb, and blind to the times and unable to make intelligent decision based on facts. Therefore we the people must keep our elected officials in check by using the power of the Ballot Box to remind them that they serve us, and that we care about ALL citizens and not just a SELECT few.
Today (July 17, 2009 at 3:45 pm) a former inmate from the Valdosta-Lowndes County Jail gave me a written and taped testimonial about the ill conditions in the jail. And that a local television station WCTV Channel 6, was “NOT INTERESTED” in taking his story about the inhumane living conditions he witnessed while in the jail.
So what good is our local television, newspapers and radio stations if they seemingly intentionally keep citizens deaf, dumb, and blind to news worthy events? How Sad in 2009? God bless America and everybody else.
GEORGE BOSTON RHYNES
Retired United States Armed Forces Veteran
President of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Branch (NAACP)
Concerned citizen and brother of humanity
COMMENTS TRANSFERRED: TRUTHHURTS.COM July 23, 2009
Thank you gbrhynes007-2.1, I appreciate your comment. Honestly I wanted to respond to your nice comment but unfortunately didn’t see it except now and yesterday I was extremely busy, so I forgot to log out. People thought I was on line, when in reality I was not on line but forgot to log out. Believe me Islam is not as what the media describes it, it’s a MIRACLE I’m really happy with Islam, it’s a kind of a new way of life given to me, with guidance and light.
Democracy
Submitted by: Truth hurts.com Tues 2009, July 21, 2009, Democracy is unreal in many countries. If only they put themselves in the place of those prisoners in Valdosta, what would they do? My new religion Islam which I voluntarily embraced teaches tolerance and that there is punishment inflicted upon the evil sooner or later, in Doomsday.
The Koran says that "God sometimes tests your faith in the hour of trouble"....
Some friends abandoned my friendship and did not call me again when I converted from Christianity to Islam, but that made me more attracted to Islam and my fortitude increased as a result.
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